©2025 League of Conservation Voters
1979 Scorecard Vote
383
23
28
Issues
HR 5892. Wind Energy Research and Development Act. The vote is on the Fuqua motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill to authorize $100 million in fiscal 1981 for research, development, and demonstrations of wind energy systems. Most of the money would be spent researching wind patterns and giving grants to companies producing windmills and other wind energy machines. By conservative estimates, wind could supply at least the equivalent of 1 million barrels of oil a day by the year 2000. It is probably the safest way there is to generate electricity without any negative impacts on the environment. The electricity can be used locally or fed into the utilities’ electric power grid so that surplus energy from one location on a windy day can be used to provide backup power at another location where the wind is not blowing that day. The grants from the bill would help small-scale wind industries survive until their institutional problems with the utilities can be worked out. The Carter Administration supported the bill. Motion agreed to 383-23. December 4, 1979. Yes is the correct vote.
©2025 League of Conservation Voters